1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automatic beverage dispensing systems, and particularly to such systems for controlling the operation of a conventional dispensing faucet, commonly referred to as a “tap”.
2. Description of the Related Art
Beverages, such as beer and soft drinks, are frequently dispensed in taverns and restaurants from systems that have a faucet. A basic beverage dispensing system has manually activated faucets in which a person operates a valve lever either by hand or by a serving container inserted under the faucet. For a standard manual beer faucet, a lever is moved in one direction to open a valve, thereby sending beer through a spout into a container placed under the faucet. Movement of the lever in the opposite direction closes the valve and terminates the flow of beer. Regardless of the type of manual faucet, the user is required to constantly monitor filling of the serving container and close the faucet upon dispensing the desired portion of the beverage.
Automatic beverage dispensing systems are now being provided in taverns and restaurants for filling serving containers of different sizes without requiring continuous monitoring by the server. Such systems have a number of pushbuttons by which the server designates the size of the container to be filled. In response to the activation of one of the pushbuttons, a corresponding quantity of beverage flows through a spout into the container. Such automatic systems employ solenoid valves or a solenoid device that pinches a flexible tube to control the flow of the beverage. These prior electrically operated flow control mechanisms have only two states, opened and closed, and do not proportionally control the flow of the beverage. It is a concern that an electrically operated valve could become stuck in the open state in the event of a power loss or equipment failure.
The beverage dispensing systems, including the faucets and lines feeding the faucets are required to be cleaned on a regular basis, as often as once a week, to avoid the beverage, particularly beer, having a degraded-taste or containing particles. Such cleaning traditionally requires the disassembly of the beverage faucet which is a laborious process. Therefore components of an automated dispensing system must permit easy cleaning of the faucet so that serving personnel are not discouraged from performing the cleaning.
As a consequence, it is desirable to provide an improved automated control system for dispensing beverages.